I heard on the radio that the price of wool has fallen – partly because of drought in NSW and Queensland but also in response to President Trump’s announcement of tariffs on wool imports from China. Wool and wool by-products were the stock in trade of the family firm of Laycocks. Frederick Laycock and his […]
Main Content
Port & South
The promenade
Making connections on the Beacon Cove promendade Every morning and in every season* Lenny, Ruby and Fred meet on the Beacon Cove Promenade. Ruby is the star attraction. We vie for her favours: a raised paw, a cuddle behind the ears. Lenny got Ruby after Tiger, also a Jack Russell, died. They are very […]
Docklands
Tulip fever
In the pink dawn of Sunday, September 1st, the finishing touches were applied to an installation of 150,000 tulips that had been in preparation for several months. A carpet of tulips across Seafarers Bridge led Melburnians to a field of tulips on the wharf apron outside Goods Shed No 5 on North Wharf. People were […]
Yarra & Bay
The Banks of the Yarra
Last week I loved listening to My Brown Yarra sung by Homebrew Verandah Music in Federation Square. If you don’t know this affectionate homage to our River written by Frank Jones for the Whirling Furphies, the chorus is ‘when I die, put me in a barra, wheel me down to the banks of the Yarra.’ Yesterday, […]
Port of Melbourne
Another anniversary
Cars, planes and now ships: Some anniversaries are so significant because of their unfolding ramifications they are worth recording even though the date has passed. In March 1969, Melbourne’s first container dock was completed, in time for the arrival of the first container ship in April. The container revolution was on the horizon from the […]
Southbank
Heritage in Southbank
The City of Melbourne has acted to protect two of the remaining significant heritage buildings in Southbank – the Castlemaine Brewery on Queensbridge Street and the PMG workshops on Sturt Street. Castlemaine Brewery The report supporting the heritage listing gave me an appreciation of this five storey brew tower building and its flanking stores. Before reading […]
Trees, nature & urban parks
The Third Quarter
Observations from walking and riding through Fishermans Bend between April and August 2019 From the elevation of the City Road tram stop there’s a great view over South Melbourne Primary School and Kirrip Park. It was recess. The school forecourt was alive with children and the sound of their playing trumped the freeway noise. Across […]
Waste – waste warriors, activists & artists
Soap
Passing down the Yarra Yarra, we saw thousands of bullocks’ and sheep’s heads lying at the edge of the river a little way from the slaughtering house, rotting in a heap, 1 so wrote Louise Timewell of her first impressions of Melbourne at the time of the gold rush. By the late 1880s, slaughtermen, butchers, […]
People making change
A Story of Dedication
23 March 2018 projected year total of 233,000 for the last year new BeachPatrol groups started spring/summer of 2017 in SafetyBeach/Dromana 3936 and Rosebud/McCrae 3939. Now over 2300 volunteers across all groups! And also in Mornington Shire, 2 more in the planning stages: Mt Eliza 3930 & Mornington 3931. That will bring our total […]